Spicy Pesto Smashed Potatoes

These Crispy Smashed Potatoes are baked in a ‘Nduja Pesto and topped with parmesan for extra crispiness. Say hello to your new favourite finger food!

This sponsored post is made in collaboration with the amazing Sacla’! As always, these opinions are strictly my own. Thank you for supporting the brands I love!

Let’s be real, we’re all there for the crispy parts of a roast potato right? Okay good. With that in mind, I made it my mission to create the crispiest (and the tastiest) potato of all time. The answer is – smashed potatoes.

Yup, smashed. Not mashed, but smashed.

You see by boiling up a baby potato and lightly smashing it, you increase the surface area and create a rough texture. Once you bake them in a bit of butter and some olive oil, you get these gorgeously crispy, crunchy potatoes which are just to DIE for.

Just like my signature roast potatoes, which I rough up in the colander after they’ve boiled, the rougher the texture, the crispier the spud.

Tips for the crispiest smashed potatoes

Steam – After you’ve smashed them, let them sit and release as much steam as possible. Steam is merely moisture leaving the potato, which in turn will allow them to turn crispier in the oven.

Parmesan – Once they start turning golden brown, whip them out the oven a pop some parmesan on top of extra crispiness.

For those of you who don’t know, ‘Nduja (pronounced ‘endooyah) is a spicy version of Italian Salumi. It’s made with selected cuts of pork then combined with salt and fiery red Calabrian chilies. It’s then smoked and formed into a giant sausage, with flavour maturing over time, and finally resulting in a spreadable paste.

What the guys at Sacla’ decided to do was then pound in some nuts, basil and oil and create the most delicious pesto imaginable. For that, I am eternally grateful.

And when it’s smeared over some crispy smashed potatoes? Oh god, we’re all in trouble.

Let’s take a closer look shall we?

So not only do you now have these yummy crispy smashed potatoes, but they’re also coated in a fiery and zingy ‘Nduja pesto.

I also love to whip up a little sauce to dollop on top.

Just a bit of sour cream, some more of that gorgeous spicy ‘Nduja pesto and a squeeze of lime juice. This will add another layer of vibrant Spanish flavour and also sooth out a little bit of the spice.

These spuds are perfect for the summer season and couldn’t scream al fresco dining any louder if they tried!

The pesto itself actually works well in a variety of dishes. Keep it close to home by spicing up a potato salad, or keep it classic by stirring it through some pasta. Heck, chuck it on some cheese and toasted bread if you fancy!

Available at Waitrose, Tesco or at their online store I truly couldn’t recommend this pesto enough!

If you loved these Crispy Smashed Potatoes then be sure to Pin the recipe for later! Already made them or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!

Hey, I'm Chris! Thanks for stopping by. I believe that good food should bring a smile to your face and hug your soul with every bite. Here you'll find fun and delicious comfort food that even the most beginner of home cook can master. More from me? Just click the pic!